Bottle Rocket helps our clients strategize, grow, design and build brand experiences that solve unmet user needs and help companies grow.
Digital technology continues to evolve and play an increasingly essential role in the day-to-day lives and activities of consumers and businesses alike. As a result, businesses must find innovative ways to develop and maintain their competitive advantage in the digital marketplace. Hiring a digital transformation consultant, also known as a digital strategy consultant, helps leaders establish an advantage for their employees company-wide. What is a digital strategy consultant? To understand a digital strategy consultant definition, it is imperative to understand the role of a digital strategy consultant. Digital strategy consultants work with businesses to help improve and re-innovate their digital technologies.
A digital strategy aims to establish new competitive advantages through digital technology. A digital strategy consultant must understand the business they are serving and be able to conduct in-depth research about industry trends, competitors, and the current digital landscape within that business industry and beyond. The ability of a digital consultant to conduct the right research and then develop strategies based on that research is critical for companies to gain an advantage in today’s highly competitive marketplace. After conducting in-depth research, a digital transformation consultant transforms this data into actionable insights to use a company’s existing technologies for improving business performance. Actionable insights may translate into creating new products, improving current business processes, replacing old business models, or implementing new digital agendas.
Staying in touch with digital trends is crucial for companies today because digital transformation is how companies reach customers. Digital transformation strategists can analyze and provide valuable insights about every digital touch point between consumers and businesses. Digital strategists offer creative solutions that can be implemented methodically, empowering companies through various digital mediums internally and externally. The role of a digital strategist includes providing a well-rounded approach that consists of a strong understanding of people, how they interact with technology and media, and the digital tools and strategies needed to reach company goals and objectives.
Digital strategy consultants play a vital role in business sustainability and growth today. Customer behavior constantly evolves, and competition across industries and business sectors is increasing in a global digital landscape. Companies must stay knowledgeable about digital trends and strategies to remain competitive. Digital strategy services can help companies leverage digital technologies in many ways. Essential digital strategy consulting services include various aspects of customer engagement and client capabilities.
Some digital strategy consulting services include:
* Developing digital strategies for transforming technology solutions
* In-depth customer analytics
* Digital sales strategies
* Digital marketing and customer engagement strategies
* Developing an omnichannel strategy
* Improving customer service methods
* Enhancing customer experience
Competing in the vast digital landscape involves massive amounts of data, advanced technology tools, and a constant need to improve understanding and efficiency. Digital strategy planning empowers companies to optimize digital tools and technologies internally and externally. The best digital strategy specialist can help companies balance their immediate needs with preparing for future opportunities.
A digital business strategy consultant offers much more than an updated website, mobile app, or digital ads. A strategy consultant provides a company with a transformation plan for existing experiences for both company employees on every level and customer experience at every touch point. A digital strategy uses human experience to develop valuable methods and practices for a business’s desired outcomes. Digital technology touches all dimensions of business today. Successful companies must continually evaluate digital performance and capabilities to understand and prioritize changes and maintain a competitive advantage. With massive amounts of data and a fast-paced digital marketplace, a comprehensive process for evaluation and transformation is complex. Finding a digital business strategy consultant for planning and strategy development can deliver massive benefits for a company short term and long term.
Digital media rules the world, or at least monopolizes many hours daily for adults worldwide. Adults engage with digital media daily through computers, phones, and other internet-connected devices. The many hours of daily technology use by adults present a unique opportunity for businesses to establish brand awareness, promote products and services, and implement many other digital strategies to leverage technology in their favor. Today, companies must adapt to digital transformation to remain competitive and sustainable. Advanced technologies today include automation, cloud-based digital platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data analytics, and many other technologies transforming how businesses interact with customers and employees. Technological advancements are changing how we do business today, from sales and marketing to strategic planning.
One digital strategy example everyone will recognize involves Amazon. With an unyielding focus on customer experience, Amazon continues implementing advanced digital strategies from simplified, intuitive buying processes and rapid distribution of physical products to customers and highly advanced technology for online sellers. Examples of successful digital strategy case studies include Domino’s Pizza and Zara. In the case of Domino’s Pizza, the company implemented digital transformation focused on customer experience, data analytics, and its technology infrastructure. Through integrated online ordering, innovative delivery tracking, and AI-driven analytics to speed up deliveries, Domino’s experienced significant business growth. Zara is a fashion brand that uses digital strategies to implement a fast fashion model capable of adapting to changing fashion trends. Zara and Domino’s provide digital strategy implementation examples that resulted in company-wide improvements in streamlined processes and profits.
A digital strategy framework is the roadmap or plan to advance your business in today’s digital marketplace. The importance of digital strategy also includes maximizing one company’s competitive advantage over others in the same industry. The digital strategy consulting process involves an in-depth understanding of business objectives and company culture, a company’s target audience, existing digital channels, content strategy, IT infrastructure, and comprehensive data analytics. Another critical element of a digital strategy framework involves customer experience and engagement.
Digital strategy development focuses on the use of technology to improve business performance. A comprehensive digital strategy involves products, processes, services, and internal and external technology transformation for business growth, sustainability, and increased revenue. Technology integration for businesses is no longer solely focused on desktop computers and servers. Instead, it is part of an overall business strategy allowing businesses to remain relevant in a fast-paced, ever-changing digital environment.
The best digital strategy consulting process starts with understanding a company’s competitive environment and how new technologies can reshape an approach to customer interactions and relationships with suppliers and business partners. These aspects may change based on the industry and the company’s products or services. Still, companies must assess core business processes for each using a digital strategy framework. Digital strategy consultants offer services on-site, through in-person meetings, or online platforms depending on a company’s budget and preferences. An online strategy consultant provides guidance using online platforms. There are many options available when searching for a digital strategy consultant. Therefore, it is crucial to spot inexperienced consultants by looking beyond industry buzzwords and digging deeper into verified industry expertise, experience, and references.
Digital strategy consultants are individual consultants providing services to businesses, whereas a digital strategy consulting firm employs a staff of multiple consultants. Individual consultants who work independently and firms may promise to offer the same services; however, digital strategy consulting firms or a digital strategy agency can rely on a team of consultants who may provide advanced knowledge in specific areas of expertise. Independent consultants may have some limitations in the services they can provide. Therefore, it is imperative to research any consulting service being considered to verify capabilities, including a proven track record of success, industry expertise, and established knowledge of up-to-date technologies.
Several different types of companies offer digital strategy consulting services.
* Small firms offering boutique consulting services provide specialized digital strategy consulting, often with customized services focusing on each company’s industry and niche.
* Full-service digital strategy consulting firms can handle all aspects of digital marketing and strategic planning through a team of consultants and other staff members. Full-service firms will have established processes to implement solutions for all clients.
* Global digital strategy consulting firms help businesses improve their digital approach and success when conducting business internationally. International strategy consulting experts understand best practices for companies that must reach a global audience.
Each type of digital strategy consulting company will meet different needs. However, well-established boutique companies like Bottle Rocket offer unique advantages to small and mid-sized businesses seeking digital consulting services. Small and midsized businesses may want to consider a company like Bottle Rocket over larger global companies like KPMG, Deloitte, or McKinsey for several reasons, including history in digital, technology expertise, lower costs, and highly specific strategies based on each company’s niche and target audience.